The Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Metrication etc.) Regulations 1992

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

1.  Part I of these Regulations amends the enactments listed in Part I of Schedule 1, namely the Celluloid and Cinematograph Film Act 1922 and the Petroleum (Consolida tion) Act 1928, by substituting measurements expressed in metric units for measure ments not so expressed.

2.  Similar amendments are made to the Instruments listed in Part II of that Schedule.

3.  The substituted measurements preserve the effect of the original provisions except to the extent necessary to obtain amounts expressed in suitable and convenient terms. Regulation 4 provides that the amendments do not relate to plant, buildings, or other permanent structures in existence or under construction immediately before the coming into force of these Regulations if that plant or those buildings or other permanent structures complied with the then existing Regulations.

4.  By regulation 5, the Modification of Space in Bakehouses Order 1903 and article 4 of the Notification of Employment of Persons Order 1964 are revoked.

5.  Part II of these Regulations amends legislation relating to humid factories used for the manufacture of cotton and similar goods. The effect of the amendments are to permit humidity measurements to be made using accurate hygrometers rather than just wet and dry bulb hygrometers which are calibrated on the Fahrenheit (non-metric) temperature scale.

6.  The legislation amended is—

(a) section 68 of the Factories Act 1961;

(b) the Flax and Tow Spinning Regulations 1906;

(c) the Hemp Spinning and Weaving Regulations 1907;

(d) the Cotton Cloth Factories Regulations 1929, and

(e) the Jute (Safety, Health and Welfare) Regulations 1906.

7.  Part II of these Regulations also revokes section 79 of the Factories Act 1961 (which relates to the approval of plans for cotton cloth factories) and the Flax and Hemp (Record of Humidity) Order 1961.

8.  Part III of these Regulations amends the definition of “petroleum-spirit” in the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 to correspond with the definition now used internationally and also permits the test methods that are in use internationally to be used. There are consequential amendments to the instruments listed in Part II of Schedule 3.